Amsterdam Zuid station
Amsterdam Zuid ("Amsterdam South") is a
As of 2021[update], Amsterdam Zuid also has a metro station served by 3 lines (50, 51, 52) of the
During 1978, Amsterdam Zuid station opened on a strategic rail route commonly known as the Zuidtak and formed the heart of the modern Zuidas business district, which houses several large banks, accounting and legal firms, as well as being the main public transport gateway for the VU University campus located just south of the station. Over time, the station has played an increasingly important role in Amsterdam's transport strategy and passenger numbers have grown extensively since its opening. To cope with its high patronage, Amsterdam Zuid has been extended and additional services put on; it has effectively replaced the older Amsterdam Centraal station as the capital's main station for direct trains.
During the 2010s, as a means of allowing for further development at the station, a large expansion plan was proposed for Amsterdam Zuid. During December 2014, an agreement for this expansion plan, which has been referred to as the Zuidasdok project, was signed by various public bodies, authorising it to proceed. The publicly funded project has an estimated cost of approximately €1.9 billion; this price tag means it shall be one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever performed in the Netherlands to date.[1] Having received political backing, construction commenced in 2019 and is scheduled for completion around 2028.
History
Amsterdam Zuid station is located in the borough of
The station is also on HSL-Zuid, a dedicated high-speed line designed for long distance and international traffic, which was built between 2000 and 2007.[2] In the long-term, it has been anticipated that at some point in the future Amsterdam Zuid will be served by long-distance trains traversing HSL-Zuid.[1]
Since 2006,
The number of train services to handle passenger demands has been progressively increased over time.[1] However, the official long-term projections of future passenger numbers have been reported to be expected to increase to an extent to which the station's current facilities shall be insufficient to properly accommodate the corresponding traffic. While heavy demands would naturally necessitate a further expansion of the station, it lies directly between the south-bound lanes of the A10 motorway ring road and several high-rise office complexes, which leaves no space for conventional surface expansion.[1]
Metro history at Zuid
Amsterdam Zuid is served by
Tram history at Zuid
Between 1978 and 1990, the Station Zuid tram stop was
In 2016, the Station Zuid tram stop on Strawinskylaan was redesigned in preparation for the conversion of metro line 51 south of Zuid station from a hybrid metro/sneltram line into tram line 25. The work including adding a turnback track and crossover east of the stop to turn back bidirectional trams.[5] In the summer of 2020, the platforms at the nearby Parnassusweg tram stop were lengthened in order to handled the coupled pairs of trams to be used on tram line 25. The Parnassusweg stop provides an alternative means of accessing the Zuid railway station, and tram line 25 uses this stop to relieve crowding at the Station Zuid tram stop on Strawinskylaan.[6] Line 25 opened officially on 13 December 2020, unofficially 4 days earlier on 9 December. Both tram lines 5 and 25 serve the Station Zuid and Parnassusweg tram stops.[7]
The Station Zuid tram stop on Strawinskylaan is a temporary terminal for line 25. As a terminal, it lacks rest facilities for tram operators and the space to store multiple pairs of coupled trams in case there a breakdown along the line. The existing stop would not be able to handle large crowds of riders. The permanent line 25 stop for Station Zuid will be a new tram station along Arnold Schönberglaan on the south side of the station, which is expected to open in 2028 after the completion of major renovations at the railway station and work to relocate the adjacent A10 motorway (eastbound lanes) underground.[8] However, from 2022 to sometime between 2026 and 2029, the temporary line 25 terminal will be relocated to Eduard van Beinumstraat, a lane between the A10 motorway (westbound lanes) and the 2Amsterdam building complex; it would be close to the Brittenpassage, a new pedestrian tunnel accessing the station. The temporary terminal may need move back to Strawinskylaan when construction on the north-side A10 tunnel starts.[9]
Expansion plans
![]() | This section needs to be updated.(May 2023) |
Following studies into various alternative means to providing greater capacity at Amsterdam Zuid, it was determined that the best likely option would involve the rerouting of the adjacent part of the A10 ring road.[1] During December 2014, an agreement between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the City of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region and the Province of North Holland was signed to cover the proposed expansion work, which is referred to as the Zuidasdok project. The programme is to be jointly executed by Rijkswaterstaat, the City of Amsterdam, ProRail, the Province of North Holland and Amsterdam Region Transport.[1] The project carries an estimated cost of approximately €1.9 billion, which makes it one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the history of the Netherlands so far. It is being publicly funded by a combination of the Dutch State, the City of Amsterdam, Vervoerregio Amsterdam, and the Province of North Holland, along with additional investments that are being made by the Dutch Railways (NS).[1]
During March 2017, a contract to perform the design and construction of the Zuidasdok project was awarded to ZuidPlus, a joint venture between Fluor, Heijmans and Hochtief.[10][11] The consortium's architectural design team includes Team V Architecture, Zwarts & Jansma Architects and Bosch Slabbers Garden & Landscape Architects. Engineering firm Technolution is to perform system engineering, as well as to provide systems for control and monitoring purposes, including the user interface for the tunnel installation.[1] Rijkswaterstaat has been engaged by ProRail and the municipality of Amsterdam for the purposes of managing the project's procurement. Being sufficiently financed and having received political acceptance, construction activities is anticipated to commence during 2019 and is scheduled for completion in 2028.[1][12]
Under the Zuidasdok project, the planned approach for redirecting the southern section of the A10 current traversing the site is to build a series of new tunnels to carry the motorway through instead, thereby opening up the surface space required to develop a high-quality and compact intermodal transport terminal around the existing Amsterdam Zuid station.[13][12] The stated aims of the expansion programme are the improvement of traffic flow within the station, the location's transformation into a modern transport hub for the city, and the stimulation of new urban developments in and around neighbouring districts. Various elements of the local public transport infrastructure are to be redeveloped to better accommodate these aims and the station's overall purpose.[1]
As envisioned, the expanded station shall feature a light and elegant design intended to blend well with its surroundings. Various modifications are to be made as to enable faster transfers between the numerous train, metro, tram and bus services running through the station.[1] The Minerva Passage, which links the northern and southern part of Amsterdam's Southern Axis, will be widened while a new underpass, known as the Britten Passage called after Benjamin Britten, shall also be constructed. The project will also create additional space adjacent to the station to house new bus and tram stops, bicycle parking facilities, and lots for taxis and park & ride facilities to enable quick and comfortable transfers.[1]
All of the existing mainline platforms are to be widened and covered with new roofs.[1] In addition, the dedicated metro platforms currently located east of Minerva Passage are to be repositioned to a central location between the (future) Britten and the Minerva passageways to improve passenger flow distribution across the passages. The new area of station will include the construction of four sets of mainline tracks, as well as additional space being reserved for the future installation of a further two sets of tracks.[1][12] Upon completion, it shall be served by four separate metro tracks, including the double tracks used by the Noord / Zuid metro line.[1]
Services
Train services
In recent years, Station Zuid has become a major station. In December 2006, the extension of the station, including the new platforms 3 and 4, was opened. Trains are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
As of 15 December 2019[update], the following train services call at this station:
- Express services
- Intercity: The Hague Central – Leiden – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Almere – Lelystad – Zwolle – Assen – Groningen
- Intercity: The Hague Central – Leiden – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Almere – Lelystad – Zwolle – Meppel – Steenwijk – Heerenveen – Leeuwarden
- Intercity: Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Duivendrecht – Hilversum – Amersfoort – Apeldoorn – Deventer – Almelo – Hengelo – Enschede
- Intercity: Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Duivendrecht – Hilversum – Amersfoort – Amersfoort Schothorst
- Intercity: Dordrecht – Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – The Hague HS – Leiden – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Duivendrecht – Almere – Lelystad
- Intercity: Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA – Utrecht – Driebergen-Zeist – Ede Wageningen – Arnhem – Nijmegen
- Intercity: Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA – Utrecht – 's-Hertogenbosch – Eindhoven – Helmond – Deurne – Horst Sevenum – Blerick – Venlo
- Only during evening and on Sundays:
- Intercity: Dordrecht – Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – The Hague HS – Leiden – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA – Utrecht – 's-Hertogenbosch – Eindhoven – Helmond – Deurne – Horst Sevenum – Blerick – Venlo
- Local services
- Sprinter: Hoofddorp – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Duivendrecht – Weesp – Almere – Almere Oostvaarders
- Sprinter: Hoofddorp – Schiphol – Amsterdam Zuid – Duivendrecht – Weesp – Naarden Bussum – Hilversum – Utrecht
Metro services
Amsterdam Zuid is served by
- 50 Isolatorweg - Sloterdijk - Lelylaan - Zuid - RAI - Duivendrecht - Bijlmer ArenA - Holendrecht - Gein
- 51 Central Station - Amstel - RAI - Zuid - Lelylaan - Sloterdijk - Isolatorweg
- 52 Noord - Noorderpark - Central Station - Rokin - Vijzelgracht - De Pijp - Europaplein - Zuid
Tram service
- 5 Westergasfabriek - Elandsgracht - Leidseplein - Museumplein - Station Zuid - A.J. Ernststraat- Amstelveen Stadshart
- 25 Station Zuid - A.J. Ernststraat - Amstelveen Westwijk
Bus services
Bus services the busstation located at the Strawinskylaan, 200m north of the station.
These are city services, operated by
- 15 Station Zuid - Haarlemmermeerstation - Surinameplein - Mercatorplein - Bos en Lommer - Station Sloterdijk
- 62 Amstelstation - Station RAI - Station Zuid - Station Lelylaan
- 65 Station Zuid - Rivierenbuurt - Amstelstation - Watergraafsmeer - KNSM Island
These are urban/regional services operated by Connexxion and Transdev.
- 321 Station Zuid - VU Medical Centre - Muiden - Huizen
- 341 Station Zuid - VU Medical Centre - Schiphol Airport - Hoofddorp railway station - Hoofddorp Centre - Hoofddorp, Spaarne Gasthuis
- 346 Station Zuid - VU Medical Centre - Haarlem
- 348 Station Zuid - VU Medical Centre - Amstelveen - Uithoorn busstation
- 358 Station Zuid - VU Medical Centre - Amstelveen - Aalsmeer - Kudelstaart
Gallery
-
Overview of the station. To the right of the station, the HQ ofABN Amrois just visible.
-
Combinotram at Amsterdam Zuid station. Note that this photo was taken when trams still had their stop inside the station, rather than the current two stops just outside.
-
View of the station from between the Zuidas offices.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Amsterdam Zuid Station Expansion." railway-technology.com, Retrieved: 19 May 2018.
- ^ "HSL ZUID, AMSTERDAM-ROTTERDAM(-ANTWERP), THE NETHERLANDS(-BELGIUM)." omegacentre.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk, December 2014.
- ^ Schwandl, Robert. "Amsterdam (metro system)". Urban Rail. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Tramlijn 5 (Amsterdam)". NL.Wikipedia (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ "Komende tijd verkeershinder bij Strawinskylaan" (in Dutch). Het Parool. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Tijdelijke extra halte voor tram 25: halte Parnassusweg". Amstelveenlijn (in Dutch). 13 July 2020. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf. 9 December 2020. Archived from the originalon 2020-12-08. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ "Eindhalte lijn 25 op Station Zuid: stapsgewijs naar definitieve situatie". Amstelveenlijn (in Dutch). 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Amsteltram krijgt tijdelijke halte naast station Amsterdam Zuid". Vervoerregio Amsterdam (in Dutch). 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Zuidasdok Contract Awarded to ZuidPlus." tunnelingonline.com, 17 March 2017.
- Arup, 28 February 2017.
- ^ a b c "Amsterdam Zuid." ns.nl, Retrieved: 19 May 2018.
- ^ "Zuidasdok final contract awarded to ZuidPlus." Zwarts & Jansma Architects, Retrieved: 19 May 2018.